2020 Preseason HawgBeat Composite Poll: Arkansas starts in top 10

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FAYETTEVILLE -- If the preseason polls hold true, Arkansas will make a third straight trip to the College World Series this summer.

The Razorbacks are tied with Arizona State for sixth in the first 2020 HawgBeat Composite Poll, which combines the six major college baseball rankings.

They are as high as No. 4 in Perfect Game's ranking and as low as No. 11 according to Baseball America. In the other polls, Arkansas is No. 5 (USA Today Coaches Poll), No. 6 (NCBWA), No. 7 (D1Baseball) and No. 9 (Collegiate Baseball).

This is the second time in three years the Razorbacks have cracked the top eight of our composite poll, as they were No. 5 before the 2018 season. Last year, they were No. 16 in the preseason.

As is usually the case, the SEC is heavily represented in the top 25, as nine of the 14 teams are ranked. The conference actually takes up six of the top 10 spots.

Here are some other interesting tidbits from the preseason composite poll:

~Vanderbilt and Louisville occupy the top two spots in all six polls, but the order has been split. The Baseball America, NCBWA and USA Today Coaches Polls have the Commodores at No. 1, while Collegiate Baseball, D1Baseball and Perfect Game gave the Cardinals the top spot.

~The ACC is just behind the SEC with eight ranked teams. The two conferences account for 68 percent of the top 25. Other conferences represented are the Big 12 (3), Pac-12 (3), Big Ten (1) and The American (1).

~Oregon State, just two years removed from beating Arkansas in the College World Series finals to win the national title, is ranked in just one preseason poll - checking in at No. 25 in the USA Today Coaches Poll.

~All eight participants in last season's College World Series are ranked in the preseason, with five starting out in the top eight: t-No. 1 Louisville, t-No. 1 Vanderbilt, No. 3 Texas Tech, t-No. 6 Arkansas, No. 8 Mississippi State, No. 10 Auburn, No. 12 Michigan and t-No. 13 Florida State.

~For a look at the final HawgBeat Composite Poll of 2019, click here.

Here is a rundown of the entire preseason composite poll (SEC teams in bold, Arkansas opponents in italics)...